Issue 63: The Rock and Roll Issue

For this June edition of Fashion Week, three of our writers bring you the lowdown on each of the performances and presentations you can still watch on the official London Fashion Week website. We watch them all so you don’t have to!

LONDON FASHION WEEK PRESENTED BY CLEARPAY OFFICIAL OPENING: EVERYTHING IS TEMPORARY, A PERFORMANCE BY SAKEEMA PENG CROOK

LFW organisers once again chose a trans activist and artist to open the proceedings, showing us that gender in fashion is no longer even a construct for what would normally have been London Fashion Week Mens. This is an interpretive dance and textile piece set to spoken word, but there are no subtitles for those who need audio assistance.

DISCOVERYLAB PRESENTS: MAXIME IN COLLABORATION WITH TONI&GUY

The short video concentrates more on the making of glass, and the stage of a glass factory, than showing us the clothes. A single male model sports blocky, panelled looks, including bags in the shape of the brand’s logo.

DISCOVERYLAB PRESENTS: CHLOE BAINES IN COLLABORATION WITH TONI&GUY

This genderfluid collection is made from up-cycled tents, dead-stock denim and jewellery recycled from tent pegs. There’s a DIY, rave kind of feel to the video, introducing our first platform shoe of the season (surely a foregone conclusion after Eurovision). Stay for the ball at the end.

DISCOVERYLAB PRESENTS: AUROBOROS IN COLLABORATION WITH TONI&GUY

This Biomimicry Digital ready-to-wear collection is showcased digitally, but on a real model. The Institute of Digital Fashion got involved to allow fans throughout London to immerse themselves in the Augmented Reality Clothing through billboards and flyposters in real space. You can click right through from the video presentation to try on any of the clothes (but just know this: they only exist in digital space, rather than reality, and you’ll expect to pay upwards of a mouth-watering $1000 to “wear” them on your photographs).

DISCOVERYLAB PRESENTS: AZURA LOVISA IN COLLABORATION WITH TONI&GUY

This video brings the dance party to you, since you may have been missing it for a while. The clothes are showcased on the dancers themselves, who range in both gender and race. A couple of minutes in, there’s more of a formal introduction from an MC.

DISCOVERYLAB PRESENTS: NOIRGAZE IN COLLABORATION WITH TONI&GUY

Accessories take centre stage in this presentation, inspired by the films of Wong Kar Wai. It’s a short but romantic watch.

DISCOVERYLAB HAIR BY TONI&GUY DAY 1

If you watched last February’s shows, you’ll be familiar with the format of these Toni&Guy clips. Designers Chloe Baines, Azura Lovisa, and NoirGaze talk about their collections from a behind the scenes perspective. Hair specialists Efi Davies, Phillip Haug, and Daniele de Angelis take us through the process of creating the hair looks.

BETHANY WILLIAMS: ALL OUR STORIES

Spoken word poetry accompanies this collection video, all about motherhood, families, and heritage. Groups of children of various ages as well as models posing together all wear the clothes, keeping it moving in roller skates and even walking the dog.